Wire stretcher



Sept. 26, 1939. A. E. GRovEs WIRE ,STRETCHER Filed April 27, 1939 JEGTO Ve@ Patented Sept. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a wire stretcher.

The invention has for its object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a wire stretcher including a pair of wire stretching elements disposed in movable relation and for clamping to av wire in spaced relation with respect to the ends of the latter, and oscillatory means connected to one of said elements and providing when active for the said elements to stretch the wire and pull the end terminal portions of the latter in opposed relation to enable such portions to be conveniently twisted together after the wire has been stretched.

A further object of .the invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a wire stretcher including a pair of stretcher elements for the purpose referred to, a gripper structure and a latching structure for and mounted on one of said elements, said latching structure being automatically movable to latching and releasing positions, said gripper structure being operable from the other of said elements and providing when active for moving said elements one towards the other for stretching the. wire, said latching structure and gripper being spring controlled.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a wire stretcher including a spring controlled shiftable latching element capable of fulcrumming when moved to released positions, a lever operated spring controlled gripper structure, a pair of wire stretching elements and with said structures arranged in one of said elements and shiftablyv mounted on the other.

Further objects of the invention are to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a wire gripper which is comparatively simple in its construc-V tion and arrangement, strong, durable, compact, thoroughly efllcient in its use, conveniently operated, readily assembled and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Embodying the objects aforesaid and others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the wire stretcher with the wire clamped thereto showing the position of the wire when stretched to have the end terminal portions thereof in opposed relation for twisting together,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section illus- 5 trating the latching structure and the gripper structure in active position and further showing the wire not stretched to an extent to have its end terminal portions arranged for twisting together, 10

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a section on line 4 4 Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is an elevation illustrating the controlling member of the gripper structure.

The wire stretcher includes a wire stretching 15 element I, a Wire stretching element 2 and an oscillatory lever structure 3.

The element I comprises an elongated rod 4 of circular cross section having secured to its outer end a head piece 5 formed with a depending 20 hanger 6 having secured to one side face thereof and intermediate its ends a stationary clamp member 1. Secured to the said side face of the hanger 6 and below the clamp member 1, as well as correlated with the latter is a rotatable clamp 25 member 8 in the form of a circular disk having its edge 9 serrated or toothed throughout. The member 8 is eccentrically mounted thereof on a pivot I0. The member 8 is also provided with a pair of openings II for the reception of an instru- 30 ment, not shown for shifting it on its pivot when desired. The member 8 coacts with the member I for clamping a stretch of the wire I2 at one end of the latter. When member 8 correlates with member 'I to clamp the wire I2 transversely 35 of the hanger 6 said member 8 is moved in the direction of the arrow I3. The coaction of the members 1 and 8 xedly secures or clamps the Wire I2 to the element I whereby when the latter is shifted in the direction of the arrow I3 the 40 wire I2 is carried therewith in a direction towards the element 2.

'Ihe wire stretching element 2 consists of a hollow casting or body I4 open at each end and provided on its inner face with an internal an- 45 nular ange I5 to constitute a bearing for the rod 4 which extends through the body I4. Thel opening I6 at one end of body I4 is of greater diameter than the rod 4. The opening II .at the other end of the body I4- is of less diameter than 50 the opening I4 and its edge forms a bearing for rod 4.

'I'he body I4 between its vertical median and the opening I'I is formed with a partition I8 having a vertical slot I9 opening at the top edge of 65 the partition I8. The bottom of body I4 adiacent the partition I8 is provided with a slot 28 havingthe end wa1l.2I thereof rounded. The partition I8 divides the body I4 into a. rear compartment 22 and a. forward compartment 23. Body I4 at its top is formed with an opening 24 which is common to the compartments 22, 23. The side walls of the opening 24 are extended upwardly, as at 25 and formed with 'aligned openings 25. Centrally of body I4 at one end thereof it is formed with a clamp member 21 and below and inwardly of member 21 a hanger 28 depends from member 21. Positioned below the clamp member 21 is a rotatable clamp member 29 in the form of a circular disc having its outer edge serrated or toothed throughout, as at 30. The

clamp member 29 eccentrically thereof is mounted on a pivot 3I carried by the hanger 28. Clamp member 291s formed with openings 32 for receiving an instrument, not shown for rotatingv such member on pivot 3l. The clamp member 29 coacts with the clamp member 21 for xedly securing a stretch of the wire I2 to the stretching element 2 whereby when such element 2 1s formed in the rear gripper ymember 43.

shifted the wire I2 will be. carried therewith. That stretch of the wire I2 which is secured to element I is indicated at 33 and the stretch of wire I2 which is secured to the element 2 is indicated at 34. The body I4 at itsother end has a depending arm 35 carrying a holding down pin 36 for the wire I2. The rear wall of opening 24 is indicated at 31 and its forward wall at 38.

The wire stretcher includes a latching structure 39 formed of a bank of loosely mounted axially apertured discs 4U and a controlling spring 4I. The discs 40 are loosely mounted on the rod 4 within the compartment 22 and in proximity to the partition I8. The lower end of the discs 4I) are arranged in the opening 20. The controlling spring 4I is arranged between the rear disc of the bank and the partition I8 as well as surrounding the rod 4. The normal position of the latching structure 39 is as shown in Figure 2 whereby the bank of discs 40 is disposed at a rearward inclination with respect to the rod 4 and the inner edges of the discs latches it from movement. The latching action of the structure 39 is causedby the spring 4I urging the bank to the inclined position aforesaid. The wire stretcher includes a gripper structure 42 for association with the rod 4 and the element 2. 'I'he gripper structure comprises a bank of gripper members 43 each consisting of an annulus 44 and a stem 45 extending upwardly from the annulus 44, as well as being integral therewith. The stem 45 is of rectangular contour. The rear gripper member 43, and which is shown in Figure 5 has its stem 45 provided withan opening 45. The bank of gripper members 43 are arranged in the compartment 23 and are loosely mounted on the rod 4. The gripper structure 42 includes a horizontally disposed yoke 41 in which is arranged the stems 45 of the gripper members 43. The base of yoke 41 is formed with a stud 48 which extends into the opening 46 The arms of yoke 41 have aligned openings 49 for mounting on a pin 5U carried by the oscillatory lever structure 3 at the inner end of the latter. The yoke 41 provides means for shifting the bank of gripper members in unison. When the bank of gripper members 43 are disposed at a forward inclination with respect to the rod 4 the inner edges of said members 43 grip the rod 4 with the lever structure 3. The gripperstructure 42 includes a controlling spring 4I which surrounds the rod.4 and is interposed between the rear member 43 and the rear end of thel body I4.

The 1everfstructure3 includes an inner portion 52 and a lever` arm 53. The portion 52 is formed of oppositely disposed sections 54 each consisting of an inner end part 55, an inclined intermediate part 56 and a grooved flange outer end part 51. The intermediate part 58 extends at an outward inclination with respect to the part 54 and merges into the part 56. The inner end parts 55 of the inner portion 52 of the lever structure 3 are arranged against the inner face of the extensions 25 of the body I4. The said inner end parts 55, in proximity to the intermediate parts 56 are mounted on a pivot 58 which extends through the parts 55 and is secured in the extensions 25 of the body I4. The pin is secured to the inner end parts 55 of the lever structure 3 in proximity to the inner end of such parts. The parts 51 coact to lprovide a socket or channel for receiving the lower terminalportion 58 of the lever arm 53. The flanges of the parts 51 are secured in abutting relation by holdfast devices 59 for the purpose of clamping the lower terminal portion 58 of the lever arm 53 to the inner portion 52 of the lever structure 3. The lever arm 53 may be provided with studs 80 for connecting an extension, not shown to such armv 53.

The wire normally tends to pull the elements I, 2 away from each other, but its action is prevented from the action of the latching structure 39 on the rod 4. As to the operation of the device, it will be assumed that the parts are in the position shown in Figure 2 and the latching structure I active. By moving lever structure 3 in the direction of the arrow 6I Figure 2, the pin 59 will be moved towards the rear end of element 2 and which will act on the structure 42' to grip rod 4 and move the latter in the direction of the arrow I3 carrying the latching structure 39 therewith, the latter will fulcrum on wall end 2I of slot 20 and be moved to released position against the action of spring 4I. The operation will be such as to position elements I, 2 in such correlation as to stretch the wire to an extent to have the end terminal portions of the stretches 33, 34 to be moved in a direction to the position shown in Figure 1. When lever structure 3 is moved in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow 6I the latching and gripper structures will assume the position shown by Figure 2, whereby element I will be latched to element 2.

The element I is termed a primary wire stretching element and the element 2 a secondary wire stretching element which constitutes a com- 'bined support and guide for the element I.

What I claim is:

l. A wire stretcher comprising a primary and a secondary wire stretching element, said elements provided with means for clamping spaced portions of the wire thereto, said secondary element constituting a combined support and guide for the primary element, the latter being slidably mounted in and disposed in extended relation with respect to the secondary element, a spring controlled latching structure mounted on said primary element for normally latching it to the other element, a spring controlled gripper structure mounted on the primary element and providing when active for pulling the primary element towards the other element against the action of said latching structure; said structures being arranged in the secondary element, said latching structure being arranged relative to the secondary element to fulcrum thereon, an upstanding oscillatory lever structure pivotally connected, adjacent its lower end to and Within the said secondary element and having means below its pivot for coaction with said gripper structure for making the latter active, said latching structure being formed of a bank of abutting discs and a controlling spring interposed between a disc at one end of the bank and a part of said secondary element, said gripper structure being formed of a group of abutting annular bodies, each having a stem at its upper end, a controlling spring interposed between a body at one end of the group and one end of the secondary element and a horizontally disposed yoke through which extend said stems, the said yoke being connected at its open end to said lever structure.

2. In a wire stretcher a primary and a secondary wire stretching element, said secondary element constituting a combined support and guide for the primary element, the latter being slidably mounted in and disposed in extended relation with respect to the secondary element, said elements being formed with aligned means at one end thereof for clamping spaced parts of the wire thereto, a spring controlled latching structure shiftably mounted on the primary element,

arranged within the secondary element and disposed relative to the.latter to fulcrum thereon and 'normally latching the primary element to the secondary element, a. spring controlled gripper structure oppositely disposed with respect to said latching structure, shiftably mounted on the primary element, arranged within the secondary element and providing when active for pulling the primary element towards the secondary element against the action of said latching structure, an upstanding oscillatory lever structure extending into said secondary element, said lever structure pivotally connected adjacent its lower end to and within said secondary element and having means below its pivot for coaction with said gripper structure for making it active, said latching structure being formed of a bank of abutting discs and a controlling spring interposed between one end of the bank and a part of said secondary element. and said gripper structure being formed of a bank of annular bodies, each having a stem at its upper end, a controlling spring interposed between one end of the bank of bodies and one end of said secondary element and a horizontally disposed yoke through which extends said stems, said yoke being 'connected at its open end to said lever structure.

ARVEL E. GRovEs. 

